Automatic lid closer for receptacles



Aug. 21, 1951 J. G. ELM

AUTOMATIC LID CLOSER FOR RECEPTACLES Filed Aug. 9, 1950 TIMI , JNVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 21, .1951.

AUTOMATIC LID CLOSER FOR RECEPTACLES Joseph G. Elm, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application August 9, 1950, Serial No. 178,450

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful automatic lid closer for receptacles, especially metal waste cans or baskets, step-on cans and non-inflammable containers of any type including a hinged lid or cover.

One object of the invention is to provide a receptacle having a hinged lid, with a spring operated trigger or kick-off mechanism normally maintained in an inoperative position by a low point fusible plug or element and located entirely on the exterior of said receptable whereby the interior of said receptacle is free of all obstacles so that an insert container, waste material or articles to be stored can be placed therein without interference from or to the lid closing mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to produce a receptacle having a hinged lid and a lid closing mechanism mounted on the outside of the receptacle body and free from the lid until actuating the latter for closing and subsequently holding the same in the closed position, said lid closing mechanism including an element urged upwardly by a spring and held in a retracted position by a fusible plug which will melt at comparatively low temperatures resulting from fires either within or outside 'of said receptacle adjacent thereto. This will snuff the fire, if inside of the receptacle, and act as a barrier to prevent the flames reaching the contents of such receptacle, if the fire is exterior of saigi receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle having a freely swinging hinged lid, a lid closing mechanism including a member to be projected upwardly by a spring into engagement with a tail-piece or lever on the lid and in the path of projected travel of the spring operated member, said member being free of the tail-piece or lever whereby the former may be retracted and reset after operation without affecting the position of the lid, and fusible means to normally retain the spring operated member in the retracted or set position.

A further object of the invention is to produce a lid closer for a receptacle having a, freely swinging hinged led, consisting of an elongated guide plate having a hole therein and fixedly mounted on the outside surface of the receptacle at a suitable location intermediate the top and bottom thereof with which coacts a sliding kick-off member having a channel to embrace the longer vertical sides of said guide plate and slidably mounted in suitable brackets on the exterior of the receptacle, said sliding kick-off member having a reinforcing plate thereon with 'a hole through said reinforcing plate and the sliding kick-off member, the last mentioned hole to be brought into alignment with the first mentioned one to receive a fusible plug for temporarily holding the sliding member retracted against the action of a spring, and a lever extending outwardly from the rear of the lid in the path of projected travel of the upper end of the kick-off member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a suitable gasket for sealing the mouth of the receptacle.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a receptacle with the lid closing mechanism retracted and the lid open and showing said mechanism projected and the lid closed in dotted lines and also illustrating an insertable container in elevation within the receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a slightly enlarged side elevation of the receptacle after operation of the lid closer showing the lid closed and held in such position by closing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the mouth portion of the receptacle and its lid showing in detail the gasket for sealing the joint between the receptacle and lid when the latter is closed.

Fig. 4-. is a broken perspective view of the sliding kick-off member or trigger.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied I 6 represents a receptacle, such as a waste can or basket of metal or other suitable stiff material, storage vessel or any kind of container to which the lid closer is applicable.

The receptacl [0 includes a body II and a lid I2 hinged at l3 in any suitable manner to the normally open upper or mouth end of said body. The body consists of the imperforate or solid side walls l4 and bottom l5 while the lid comprises the top wall I6 and the annular depending flange I! a portion of which telescopes over the normally open or mouth end of the receptacle body. A reversely curved tail-piece or lever I8 is secured to the rear of the lid adjacent the hinge point thereof and projecting outwardly beyond the circumference of said lid, to provide a convex surface to be engaged by a kick-off member fully described below.

To seal the normally open or mouth end of the receptacle body when the lid is closed, an annular gasket IQ of slightly compressible and elastic material is secured to the inside surface of the top wall of the lid and projects outwardly a sufficient distance to snugly engage the rim of the receptacle body. Preferably the outer circumference of said gasket is beveled or tapered in wardly from the top towards the bottom or outer end thereof whereby said gasket will wedge itself into the open end of the body as the lid is closed.

On the outside surface of the receptacle body at a suitable location between the top and bottom thereof is fixedly mounted a guide plate having a hole 21 therein running inwardly from the outer or back face towards the receptacle body side wall or parallel with the bottom of said receptacle body. Upper and lower brackets 22 and 23, respectively, are also secured to the outside surface of the receptacle body in suitably spaced relation to the guide plate 20 above and below the same.

A kick-off member or trigger 24 is slidably mounted in the brackets for vertical movements to and fro relative to the tail-piece or lever l8 on the lid but is not attached to said tail-piece or lever the function merely being to engage or contact the latter as the kick-oil member is projected upwardly vertically or longitudinally of itself. The kick-on member has a hole 25 to register with the hole 2| when the kick-off member is in its retracted position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, at which time the upper end of said kick-off member is withdrawn from the tailpiece sufficiently to allow the lid to be opened without interference from the kick-off member. To increase the extent or length of the hole 25 a reinforcing plate 26 is mounted on the outside of the kick-off member 24 and said reinforcing plate 26 has a hole 21 in permanent alignment with the hole 25.

The kick-01f member or trigger 24 cooperates with the guide plate 20 and slides relative thereto, under certain conditions, being constantly urged upwardly by a coil spring 28, or other equivalent means, said spring engaging a stationary element, as the lower bracket 23, and, a shoulder 29 on the kick-off member. The upper end of said kick-off member 24 is fashioned to provide a rearwardly or outwardly offset nose 30, the tip or terminal end of which engages or contacts the convex surface of the tailpiece or lever l8 when the kick-off member is projected upwardly to swing the lid into the closed position.

The kick-off member 24 is temporarily retained in its retracted position by a fusible plug 3| inserted in the registered holes 2|, 25 and 21 at which time the lid can be manually or otherwise freely opened and closed, depending upon the type of receptacle, without interference from or with. the kick-off member.

Preferably, the kick-01f member or trigger 24 has an intermediate channel portion 32 which embraces the guide 28 and tracks thereon in a straight line. The lower end of the channel portion, particularly the lower edges of the flanges, forms the shoulder 29.

Because the complete lid closing mechanism is on the outside of the receptacle there are no interior obstructions to interfere with the free insertion of an article or objects into the receptacle or the removal thereof from said receptacle. Due to the clear internal space of the receptacle an insertable container 33, such as a pail with a handle 34 can be used in con junction with the receptacle.

In practice, the kick-off member 24 is retracted until the holes 2|, 25 and 21 are in registration and the fusible plug 3| is inserted therein which will maintain the kick-off member in its set position until said plug is removed or melted. The retraction of the kick-off member removes the nose 30 thereof from a position which would interfere with the opening of the lid so the latter then can be opened and closed at the will of the operator.

Should a fire occur in close proximity to the location of the receptacle or within the same and the heat become sufficient to melt the fusible plug, the melting thereof will release the kickoff member 24 and its operating means, herein shown as the spring 28, will project said kickoil" member upwardly which, in turn, will move the tail-piece in a generally upwardly direction to swing the lid to the closed position. This will smother the fire, if within the receptacle, and prevent a fire reaching the contents if such fire is outside of but in the vicinity of the receptacle.

It is to be particularly noted that when the receptacle lid is closed the kick-off member 24 is resting beneath and in engagement with the tail-piece Ill, Fig. 2, to hold the lid in the closed position against accidental or intentional opening until the kick-off member has been retracted and reset.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

1. In an automatic lid closer for receptacles, the combination with a receptacle including a body, normally open at the top and having a lid hinged at the upper end thereof to close the same, of a tail-piece mounted on said lid adjacent the hinge location and projecting rearwardly beyond the boundary of said lid, brackets mounted in vertical relation on the outside surface of said receptacle body, a kick-off member slidably mounted in said brackets with the upper end of said kick-oh" member adjacent the tailpiece to contact the latter when the former is projected upwardly to close the lid, means to urge said kick-off member upwardly, and means fusible at a comparatively low temperature to temporarily retain the kick-off member in a retracted position.

2. The automatic lid closer for receptacles according to claim 1 in combination with a asket secured to the inside of the lid and having a tapered outer circumference to engage the inside of the receptacle body at the normally open end for sealing the same when the lid is closed.

3. The automatic lid closer for receptacles according to claim 1, wherein the tail-piece has a convex surface on the underneath side at the free end and the kick-off member has an offset nose at its upper end for contact with said convex surface.

4. In a device of the character described, a receptacle body normally open at the top, a lid hinged to the upper end thereof to close the same, a tail-piece on said lid adjacent the hinge location and projecting rearwardly beyond the boundary of said lid, and lid closing means mounted entirely on the outside surface of said receptacle body thereby leaving the interior free of obstructions, said lid closing means including a kick-oil member, means to slidably mount said kick-oil member on the side wall of the receptacle body directly beneath the tail-piece and vertically movable whereby when projected upwardly it will engage said tail-piece to swing the lid to the closed position and hold said lid in such position, means to constantly urge said kick-off member upwardly, and fusible means between the kick-off member and receptacle body to maintain said kick-off member in a retracted position until said fusible means is melted by a comparatively low heat due to a fire within or in the vicinity of the receptacle body.

5. In a device of the character described, a receptacle body normally open at the top, a lid hinged to the upper end thereof to close the same, a tail-piece on said lid adjacent the hinge location and projecting rearwardly beyond the boundary of said lid, and lid closing means mounted entirely on the outside surface of said receptacle body thereby leaving the interior free of obstructions, said lid closing means including a guide plate fixedly mounted on the outside of the side wall of the receptacle body intermediate the top and bottom ends thereof and in vertical alignment with the tail-piece on the lid, said guide plate having a hole therethrough from the outer rear face thereof, brackets secured to the outside of the side wall of said receptacle body in spaced vertical alignment with the guide plate, one above and one below the latter, a kick-01f member slidably mounted in said brackets for Vertical movements whereby when projected upwardly it will engage said tail-piece to swing the lid to the closed position and hold said lid in such position, said kick-off member having a hole therethrough to align with the hole in the guide plate when the kick-off member is in a retracted position, a fusible plug fitted in the aligned holes to retain said kick-off member in the retracted position until such time as said fusible plug is melted, and a spring between the lower bracket and a shoulder on the kick-off member to constantly urge the latter upwardly.

6. The structure according to claim 5 wherein the kick-off member is a fiat bar having an apertured reinforcing plate fixed on the back of the same in the region of the hole in said member with the aperture aligned with said hole.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein an intermediate portion of the kick-off member is of channel formation embracing the guide plate.

JOSEPH G. ELM.

No references cited. 

